Regional Consultative Committee

Regional Consultative Committees are established as a partnership between Roads and Maritime Services and Councils.

Establishment & Purpose of Committee:

Regional Consultative Committees are established as a partnership between Roads and Maritime Services and Councils with the key objectives of:

Facilitating open and transparent consultation between Roads and Maritime Services and Councils on the management of the roads and traffic system in general

Facilitating cooperation and coordination between councils in their management of Regional Roads in particular

Introducing change - technical, administrative, structural

Providing and receiving feedback on issues and performance.

Every council has the right to participate in the committee process.

The role of the committees is expected to promote closer communication between Roads and Maritime Services and councils on broad issues that are relevant across an area. The committees would not replace the one to one liaison with councils on project specific issues.

The role of the RCC is to reflect a partnership arrangement between Roads and Maritime Services and councils in the management of the road and traffic system with reference to three roles of councils as Roads and Maritime Services stakeholders, as road owners and managers, and as agreed service providers to Roads and Maritime Services.

The Specific Tasks of the RCC:

Specific tasks of the consultative committees are to:

Formulate a general plan for coordination and prioritising the management and development of the Regional Road network to complement the State Road network consistent with the NSW transport plan Action for Transport 2010.

Develop the Region’s REPAIR Program consistent with the September 2011 REPAIR Program Guidelines and the general plan for Regional Roads.

Identify regionally important candidates for Roads and Maritime Services to consider in the Rebuilding Country Roads Program consistent with the NSW transport plan Action for Transport 2010 and the general plan for Regional Roads.

The RCC in consultation with the freight industry develop a strategy to manage freight access on Local and Regional roads consistent with the NSW transport plan Action for Transport 2010. Such a strategy could include councils cooperating on a regional basis to:

Develop a more clearly defined freight hierarchy for council roads

Promote development and usage of specific routes as freight corridors

Discourage usage of unsuitable roads by the use of mechanisms such as load and/or speed limits, and

Increase education and support for load limit and route compliance.

Encourage, coordinate, participate in and report on benchmarking of road and traffic management activities consistent with Roads and Maritime Services Service Competition Policy.

Review and report on expenditures, outcomes and council performance for Regional Roads.

Provide strategic input to the planning for State Roads.

By peer review help ensure that funding assistance provided by the State is applied to the Regional Road network to

Maximise benefits to the community

Preserve, improve and, if appropriate, extend the road system.

Subgroups of the RCC:

The RCC may establish standing sub groups by consensus in order to assist with management and consideration of issues e.g. the technical sub - committee. Sub groups may be based on common geographic and political interests. The number of sub groups should be limited to ensure effective functioning of the RCC. Ad hoc sub committees may also be established to address particular issues.

RCC Membership:

Representation on the committee is to be determined by Roads and Maritime Services in consultation with councils. The model membership of the main Regional Consultative Committee is one elected and one non-elected member from each council. The RCC may determine membership of any sub groups

The committee shall have the power to invite and co-opt representatives of other relevant bodies to participate in their deliberations.